Wanda's Transformation
by brokenfromthepast
Summary: This is my take on what happens when Doc takes Wanderer out of Melanie's body. R&R please!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: This is Stephenie Meyer's writing. This is not mine. I am writing this just in case people haven't read the Host in a while.**

I walked into the room that had always frightened me with my shoulders squared. Doc had everything prepared. In the dimmest corner, I could see two cots pushed together, Kyle snoring with his arm around Jodi's motionless form. His other arm was still curled around Sunny's tank. She would have liked that. I wished there was some way to tell her.

"Hey, Doc," I whispered.

He looked up from the table where he was setting out the medicine. There were already tears streaming down his face.

And suddenly, I was brave. My heart slowed to an even pace. My breath deepened and relaxed. The hardest parts were over.

I had done this before. Many times. I had closed my eyes and gone away. Always knowing new eyes would open again, but still. This was familiar. Nothing was fair.

I went to the cot and hopped up so that I was sitting on it. I reached for the No Pain with steady hands and screwed the lid off. I put the little tissue square on my tongue, let it dissolve.

There was no change. I wasn't in any pain this time. No physical pain.

I sighed. "Jared's waiting, back by the big cave. I promised him you'd tell him when it was over. Just wait until I—until I… stop moving, okay? It will be too late for him to do anything about my decision then."

"I don't want to do this, Wanda."

"I know. Thanks for that, Doc. But I'm holding you to your promise."

"Please?"

"No. You gave me your word. I did my part, didn't I?"

"You did."

"Then do yours. Let me stay with Walt and Wes."

His thin face worked as he tried to keep back a sob.

"Will you be… in pain?"

"No, Doc," I lied. "I won't feel anything."

I waited for the euphoria to come, for the No Pain to set everything glowing the way it had the last time. I still didn't feel any difference.

It must not have been the No Pain after all—it had just been being loved. I sighed again.

I stretched out on the cot, on my stomach, and turned my face toward him.

"Put me under, Doc."

The bottle opened. I heard him shake it onto the cloth in his hand.

"You are the noblest, purest creature I've ever met. The universe will be a darker place without you," he whispered.

These were his words over my grave, my epitaph, and I was glad that I got to hear them.

_Thank you, Wanda. My sister. I will never forget you._

_Be happy, Mel. Enjoy it all. Appreciate it for me._

_I will_, she promised.

_Bye_, we thought together.

Doc's hand pressed the cloth gently over my face. I breathed in deeply, ignoring the thick, uncomfortable scent. As I took another breath, I saw the three stars again. They were not calling to me; they were letting me go, leaving me to the black universe I had wandered for so many lifetimes. I drifted into the black, and it got brighter and brighter. It wasn't black at all—it was blue. Warm, vibrant, brilliant blue… I floated into it with no fear at all.


	2. Chapter 2

I stood there over her body for a few minutes. I was glad that I gave Kyle some of the medicine so that he wouldn't wake up to see what I was doing. I was stalling at the moment. This is the worst of all the experiments I have done. I would fail, and it would be on purpose. A lot of people will hate me for this, Ian especially. He loves her, and he's going to be losing her today.

_Stop stalling, Eustace_, I thought to myself. I went right to work. I rolled Wanda to the side while moving her hair out of the way. The scar was right in front of me, and it was hard to look at. This is the moment that I would end my friend's life. I've grown to enjoy her company, even if she was one of the aliens.

I took the scalpel, and I traced the line that I needed to. Wanda had taught me well. She made that wretched deal, and she made it so I couldn't escape it.

I soon saw her. Wanderer. She was so exquisite. I couldn't believe my eyes. I always love seeing, or hearing about, the other life forms. Wanda always told us stories of different planets. That is what I will miss the most. Her stories of the places she's been at.

"Come on, Wanda, it's your turn to cooperate with me," I stated gently to her. I did as she had instructed me to do, and it worked. I quickly healed Wanda's, Melanie's, body, so that I wouldn't get a chance to change my mind.

I heard running footsteps coming from the hallway. What was going on? It couldn't be Jared because Wanda told me directly that he would wait at the other end of the tunnel. There was more than one pair of footsteps though, so I hadn't the slightest clue of who was coming.

"No," Ian yelled as he saw Melanie's body on the table, and Wanderer in my hands. She was still moving, which meant that she was still alive. I didn't know when she would stop moving.

"Get a cyrotank, quick," Jeb ordered, making Jared run for one. I backed away from him because I was listening to Wanda's orders.

"Give me her," Ian demanded when he advanced toward me, "Give me _her_ now." She was still moving, but I didn't think that I would get the chance to keep my promise like I said I would.

"Sorry, Wanda," I said as I handed her over. Ian looked so relieved when he saw that she was still moving. She kissed her, and he didn't seem bothered by it at all.

"Jared quick," Ian commanded. The cyrotank was opened seconds later. I felt so relieved that they saved her. I didn't even care about it anymore. "Give me her." Ian grabbed for Wanderer's tank. It was kind of funny that both of the O'Shea's had cyrotanks in their arms.

"What's going on," Kyle questioned groggily as he started to wake up.

"That's what I would like to know," Jeb demanded. They were all staring at me now, and I knew that they were going to make me explain no matter what I did, so I told them the whole story. Ian didn't like any of it. I would probably be in the same position if the person (or alien) I loved said that she wanted to die for the host's body that she was living in.

"So you're saying," Kyle questioned after I was done explaining the story, "is that she wanted to die to save Melanie?"

"I think it's a pretty good summary," I stated.

"She's definitely selfless," Ian muttered.

"She wanted to stay here on Earth because she thought that it was home to her," Melanie corrected for the first time as human in a long while, "And she knew that she shouldn't take over anyone else's body because she knew that some of the humans' thought that it was worth than death, so she chose death for them." Everyone stared wide-eyed at her. We thought that she'd be out longer than that. Did I not give her enough medicine?

Jared was the first to actually move. He closed the distance between them and pulled her into a passionate kiss. We all looked away because it was a private moment.

After a few minutes, there was some more running. Who else was coming down the southern wing of the cave?

The answer was Jamie. He came out of breath into the room, but he kept his eyes on the surroundings. He looked at Kyle with Jodi's motionless form next to him. Then he looked at Ian and me. He looked at Jeb also. Jared was the next one he spotted. He seemed a little confused.

Lastly, he looked at Melanie. His eyes turned huge when he looked into her eyes. He ran to her with tears in his eyes. "She's gone," whispered Jamie as if he knew that Wanda was dead for a fact. He seemed really depressed about it. I didn't know that he got that close to Wanda. I don't think that anyone did except for Ian and Melanie.

"No she's not," Melanie corrected.

"Where is she then?" Melanie pointed to the tank that Ian was still holding. I don't think that anyone would be able to get that tank away from Ian even it was the last thing that he ever did.

"Can I hold her," Jamie whispered as if he didn't see the protective look that Ian had. Ian shook his head vigorously. Jamie didn't seem to understand, but he didn't push it.

After a couple of minutes of silence, Jeb stated, "Anyone up to something to eat?" There was agreement from almost everyone.

"I'll stay behind," Kyle stated, "I want to be here when she wakes up."

"I don't think that she's going to wake up, Kyle," I stated. Kyle cringed from the thought.

"Sunny can look for her, just like Wanda did with Melanie," Jamie suggested.

"I was always there, Jamie," Melanie stated.

"Let's go get some chow," Jeb commanded, "I'm starving."


	3. Chapter 3

We went to the dining hall, and I kept my eyes on Doc. I didn't want him doing anything else to _my_ Wanda. She's mine, and she always will be. I don't trust the story even though I know in my heart that it's true. I wish it hadn't have been, but it is.

Once we walked in, all we were welcomed with was stares. They were staring at the cyrotank in my arms. They must have guessed that it was Wanderer's.

I decided to sit in the corner away from other people. It was strange that Wanda did the same thing the first day she came to sit in the dinner hall with people staring at her. It was stares of hate back then, but now its stares of disbelieve and hurt.

"I'll get your food, Ian," Jamie told me, and I just nodded. I didn't want to go through the line just in case something happened to Wanda again. I couldn't believe that Doc had tried to kill her. Even if it was her wish or not, he should have just lied and gotten her into a cyrotank or something. That would have been better than killer her.

The others came back quickly, and Jamie did as he said. It was cheetos and sandwiches. Wanda loved cheetos. It was her favorite thing when she was able to eat them.

"You need to put her down sometime, Ian," Jared stated, "You need to eat for her sake." He must have known that I didn't know how to eat and hold Wanda's cyrotank at the same time. It was very confusing, but I didn't want to put her down. I missed her.

"I'm not hungry," I whispered before getting up from the table. I wanted to go back to my room and watch Wanderer's little body in the tank.

"You need to eat, Ian," commanded Jeb, "You eat now."

"I'll hold Wanda," Jamie suggested. I knew now that I couldn't win this one.

"Think of what Wanderer would say," Melanie stated. That hit a sore spot. I knew that Wanda would want me to eat. She was selfless like that all the time.

"Fine," I sighed. I handed Wanda's cyrotank over to Jamie. I kept watch of it even when I ate. Could the cyrotanks break? Is Wanda in pain? Is she asleep? Is she well? Did we not get to her in time? All these questions were in my head, and I couldn't stop thinking them.

I finished eating quickly, and then I took the tank from Jamie. I decided to save the Cheetos for Wanda later. No one had known my plans though.

"You need to eat the Cheetos also, Ian," commanded Jeb.

"You need the extra food," Melanie stated with concern. Why did she even care about what I did? She hated me when Wanda was in her body.

"Wanderer wouldn't like this one bit," Doc said.

"I'm saving them for Wanda," I whispered. Everyone shut up then. They seemed surprise by that answer. Why was it such a surprise to do something that she would love?

It was quiet at the table for a couple of minutes. Some of the dining hall had cleared out already. Soon more and more people left, but we didn't. Jamie, Jared and Jeb got up to get seconds while the others stayed.

Trudy walked over to the table with Lilly behind her and asked, "Is that Wanda in there?" I nodded. I knew that people would ask, but it still hurt to hear them.

"I'm going to miss her," Lilly whispered, "She was such a delight to be around. Too bad some of the others didn't get to know her a little bit better." I nodded stiffly. Was she thinking that she was leaving? I wouldn't allow that. I'm not going to lose her anymore.

"Is she okay in there," Trudy questioned. She seemed to care about her very much.

"We think so," Jamie answered, "But we don't know for sure."

"She'll be fine," Melanie stated.

"Are you Melanie," Lilly questioned. She nodded in reply. I had the sense that she would get that a lot. Melanie wouldn't be able to escape the questions even if she tried. I enjoyed that fact a bit, even if I knew that it was wrong of me. I shouldn't wish for someone else's pain and unhappiness, but that's the body that Wanda was in. I couldn't help to be a little mad.

"She'll be missed," Geoffrey stated as he came over to the table. He must have overheard the conversation. Not many people were in the area now, and those who were were extremely quiet.

"She's not dead," I snapped. I didn't like that he was thinking that she was gone. She was going to stay with me. She promised, and she knew that I love her. I couldn't stay away from her at all. I love her too much. She is not going to die or go. I wanted her to stay with me.

I was about to go off to my room when Jeb commanded me to sit. This was getting a little old. I would like to be able to go to my room where there is peace and quiet.

"We have business to take care of," Jeb stated once I sat back down.

"Like what," Trudy questioned. She seemed intent on being in this discussion. I was too.

"What are we going to do with Wanderer?"


	4. Chapter 4

"What do you mean what are we going to do with her," I questioned.

"She can't stay in the cyrotank forever, Ian," Jeb stated the obvious.

"She wanted to be buried with Walt and Wes," Doc whispered. What was he planning on doing? Was he going to listen to her wishing?

"No," I stated dryly, "She will not be buried. It's not an option."

"I agree," Jamie stated. All of the others agreed also. Melanie stayed quiet though.

"What's wrong, Melanie," Jared asked. Everyone must have noticed.

"I know what she was thinking, and I don't know if she's going to except anything else besides the agreement she wants." I was about to protest, but she put her hand up to stop me, "I know that everyone wants to keep Wanda with us—and I do too—but what will she do when she learns that Doc disobeyed the deal that they made? She might try and get someone else to do that, which I don't want that to happen. We just have to think everything through. That's all that I'm saying." Everyone thought about this. It was a difficult decision to make. What would happen if that did happen?

"I say that we just keep an eye on her," I said after a couple of minutes.

"We won't always be able to keep an eye on her," Jared argued, "She snuck past you when you were sleeping and look where that leads us."

"I am at least trying to think of something for Wanda, and I'm not the one sitting there and doing nothing. At least _you_ could have stopped her from doing this thing in the first place," I snapped.

"I'm not the one who is in love with the parasite," Jared snapped. He was going to regret saying that.

"Jamie, hold Wanda," I said before I did anything. I didn't want to hurt her. Once Jamie had the cyrotank in his hands, I leaped to where Jared was sitting, and punch him in the face. Nothing broke, but it might leave a mark.

"What the fuck, man," Jared complained from the ground.

"Alright, that's enough you two," stated Jeb from where he sat, "It was not right of you to call Wanda a parasite, Jared. And it was not right for you to hit him, even if it was for a good reason." Jared was about to protest, but Jeb interrupted him, "Doc, you take him to the ward and get that bruise off of his face if you can. I don't think that Wanda would like to see it on his face, and she definitely wouldn't like to hear who _caused_ it."

Once they left, Melanie said, "Thanks, Ian."

"For what," I questioned.

"For hitting him for me. He can be such a jerk sometimes."

"That wasn't for you."

"Yeah, I know. I'm just glad that he was punched. If you hadn't done it, I would have."

"Melanie," Jamie gasped in shock. I was a little shocked at what she had said too. Was she really that close to Wanda? They probably were when she was in Melanie's body.

"Alright, let's get back to the business at hand," Jeb commanded, "The problem we need to figure out is what to do with Wanda here."

"She's not going to another planet," I stated, "And she is definitely not going to die and be buried next to Wes and Walter."

"I agree," Jamie stated.

"I wish Wanda was here," Lilly stated, "She should be able to input her own opinion."

"She already did by making the deal with Doc, and we know what she wants, but I'm not going to let her," I stated.

"I don't want to lose her either, Ian, but she did make her own chose, and I think that we should respect her wishes as much as we might not want to," Trudy interjected.

"No, and end of discussion."

"Men," Melanie breathed.

"What is that supposed to mean," I questioned.

"They are so pig headed that they won't listen to the others thoughts," Melanie replied.

"Well, at least I'm trying to keep Wanda alive."

"Knock it off," Jeb shouted. Everyone went silent then. "We know your opinion on this subject, so you don't need to talk anymore." I was just about to complain, but he wouldn't let me.

"We need an idea that everyone could live with," Lilly stated.

"Almost everyone," Trudy added.

"Why don't we go on a raid," Jamie questioned.

"We don't need supplies," Jared stated as he came back into the room. It looked like there wasn't going to be a bruise. Damn.

"No, not that kind of raid," Jamie stated, "A raid to find a body for Wanda."


	5. Chapter 5

"What do you mean," I questioned. I didn't see where he was going with this at all.

"You know how we always went out to get Doc some of the alien infested people," Jamie explained, "Well, why don't we do that for Wanda?"

"That's a pretty good idea," Doc stated, "I know how to take one out, so it shouldn't be too hard to put Wanda into the body."

"I've seen some of her memories, and it looked really easy," Melanie informed Doc and the rest of us.

"Who's going to get the body though," Trudy questioned.

"Well, I'll lead like always," Jared stated blankly.

"I'm going to stay behind with Wanda," I informed them. I just remembered then that Jamie still had her. I took the cyrotank, and Jamie didn't protest.

"I'm going to go with," Melanie stated.

"No, she isn't," Jared countered.

"Yes, I am."

"No you are not!"

"You can't make me stay, Jared."

"Oh yes I could."

"Maybe you could," Melanie stated, "But I'm not going to let you. Either you let me go, or I'm not going to talk to you for a whole entire year." They just did a stare down at each other then.

"She definitely plays hard ball," Doc commented.

"That's my niece," Jeb said, "She's just as stubborn as her father."

"So it's a gene thing," Doc questioned.

"Yep, and I'm not proud of it."

"Maggie definitely has that gene," I commented.

"I'm going too," Jamie informed everyone.

"No you're _not_," Melanie and Jared yelled together. They could argue all the time about each other, but they agreed on Jamie. That's just cruel.

"I want to be there when you pick a body for Wanda," Jamie complained, "Besides it was my idea."

"Jamie," Melanie stated, "I just got you back, and the last time you were on a mission, you almost killed yourself."

"I did not almost kill myself," Jamie complained.

"You were close enough," Melanie stated.

"Besides, what would Wanda think if you did go on the mission," Jared stated. Since when was he relying on Wanda?

"She'd be proud of him, just like she always is," I stated in her defense. I don't think that it's far to let him use Wanda like that.

"See," Jamie said, "He agrees with me, and I'm sure that Wanda would too."

"She hated seeing you in pain, especially on a deadly mission," Melanie stated.

"That is true," I agreed.

"Jeb," Jamie complained, "Help me out, please!"

"Alright," Jeb stated, "It looks like I have to assign the mission members. Melanie, Jared and Jamie can go."

"Just three, Jeb," questioned Geoffrey.

"It will be an easy mission."

"When are we going," Jamie asked.

"Tomorrow, during the day," Jared replied, "We leave at dawn." He got up from the table then. He must not have liked to be defeated.

"I'll go talk to him," Melanie sighed.

"Me too," Jamie stated.

"No, I better do this alone." Then she walked off.

"I'm going to bed," Jamie stated.

"That sounds good to me," Jeb commented also getting up behind Jamie.

"I have to check on Jodi," Doc stated. Everyone started off their own ways. I decided to go to my room. Kyle hasn't been sleeping in there because he's been sleeping next to Jodi.

Once I was in my room, I put Wanda's cyrotank on my bed and quickly got changed. I didn't know if someone would sneak in to take it or not, but I soon learned that no one did. I worry too much, but I guess that comes with the territory of being in love.

A knock soon came from the outside of my door. I had no clue who it could be. Kyle would just walk in, but he's in the hospital ward.

"Who is it," I questioned.

"It's Jamie," he stated from outside the door, "Can I sleep here tonight?"

"Sure," I stated, "Come on in." He walked in then.

"Melanie and Jared are in our room, and I didn't want to interrupt them," he explained taking Kyle's bed. I nodded in understanding.

"How do you think she's doing," Jamie questioned after a few minutes.

"Honestly," I stated, "I don't have a clue. I know she's not dead though, and that's a good thing."

"Yeah, that is," he stated.

"You better get to sleep, kid," I stated, "That's if you want to go onto the raid tomorrow."

"I will go on that raid," Jamie stated before he went to sleep. I could hear his soft breathing in a matter of minutes.

"I know you will, kid," I told his sleeping form. Then I went to lay down in my bed, next to the cyrotank that held my Wanda in it. I grabbed it into my arms and slowly fell asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

I walked down the southern hall to see that Kyle was awake now. He seemed a little groggy, but he didn't look so bad. Jodi still hadn't woken up. He seemed a little stressed out, but I doubted that he was up for long.

"Doc," Kyle greeted me, only taking his eyes of Jodi for a second.

"Kyle," I greeted back.

"She hasn't woken up yet," Kyle whispered, "I've been trying, but I can't seem to get her up."

"I know, Kyle, time will always tell," I told him.

"I don't think that it will this time, Doc."

"You never know, Kyle."

"I don't want to lose her."

"I know."

"I don't think that you do."

"You're right," I admitted, "But I want to have Jodi conscious also. I doubt that I would have as much wanting as you do."

"Do you think that she would recover from this, Doc?"

"There's a possibility. Melanie's doing great and Jodi would be able to too with your help of course."

"But she was always there; Jodi wasn't."

"That helped a little too." It was silent then. I went to rearrange some stuff just to pass the time. Being doc can be boring sometimes, but I wouldn't choose any other job. I got to do what I love most, and that was helping others.

"Hey Doc," Kyle stated.

"Yeah," I questioned.

"If I asked you to do something for me, would you?"

"I'd try my best."

"Could you put Sunny back into Jodi for me?" I was taken aback by what he was asking. I didn't think that he would be asking this. He hated all the aliens that had invaded earth especially when they took Jodi from him. Now that he has her back, is he really deciding to put it back in?

"Are you sure that you want me to do that," I asked.

"She's been unconscious for a couple of days, and I don't know if she's ever going to come back," Kyle answered. "I've been thinking this over for a couple of hours, and I've made my decision. I think that she'd be able to help find her somehow, and I hope that she does." I nodded. I can understand where his thinking track was.

"Kyle, can you move her over to that cot," I questioned pointing to the cot in the corner. I was starting to use that for all the surgeries now.

"Is there something that she needs to take," Kyle asked me.

"Yes, but I don't have any water here, so can you go and get a water bottle for me?" Kyle didn't even get to hear the end of the sentence. He started running down towards the kitchen. I set up the No Pain, the scalpel, Heal and Smooth right next to the cot.

Kyle soon ran back into the room. He brought Sunny's cyrotank over so that I could set up. I got it set up really quickly. "Kyle, when I tell you to get Sunny out of it, you just have to open the hatch," I instructed, "and just to warn you, it's going to be cold in there."

"Okay," Kyle stated, "I'm ready when you are." I took the bottle of water, and took one of the No Pain pills out of the bottle.

"I need you to hold her head up, so that I can get this pill in her mouth and give her some water," I stated. He did as instructed. "Now, we need to turn her so that I can see the scar on the back of her neck." Once I saw it, I picked up the scalpel, and I cut into Jodi's skin where the scar was. "Kyle, you need to get Sunny out now," I stated as I pulled the skin to open it up a little more.

"MOTHER FUCKER," I heard Kyle yell. When I looked up, he was just pulling Sunny out of the cyrotank.

"Well, I told you that it was cold in there," I mumbled.

"I didn't think that it was _that_ cold!" He handed Sunny over to me nonetheless.

"Go in, Sunny," I chided, hoping that it would work. It did. She nestled right into Jodi's spine. It looked like she was home. I put heal into the wound and pushed it together. Then I soothed it, and it looked just like before.

"She's done," I said once I was done. I turned her over so that she didn't wake up with her laying on her stomach and her head turned.

"Is there anything that can make her wake up faster," Kyle questioned.

"I can try something," I stated, but I didn't need to. Sunny was already starting to wake up.

Her eye lids moved rapidly at first, but then she finally woke up.

"Is this a dream." Those were her first words, and they made us laugh.


	7. Chapter 7

I woke up in a different room than my own. Why was I in this room? When I looked over at Ian's sleeping body, I remembered. I had a mission today, and I had to do it right. The sun hadn't come up yet, which I was thankful for. I didn't want to not be able to go on the raid. It would hurt if they didn't allow me.

I ran to my room after saying good morning to Wanda (Ian was still asleep) to make sure that Melanie and Jared were still there. I walked in, and that was a mistake on my part. I was thankful that they had a blanket over them.

"Raid's today, so wake up," I yelled. They hadn't woken up yet which surprised me. They were always up and ready when a raid was going on. Of course the raids were usually started in the dark. We tried to keep cover that way.

Melanie and Jared woke up disoriented, but they soon saw their surroundings (and lack of clothing). Melanie was startled that I was standing over them and Jared was to, but he tried to protect Melanie by me not seeing her.

"Just hurry and get dressed," I told them before walking out of the room.

"That was unexpected," I heard Jared say before I left the distance that I could hear. I didn't want to hear anything if they were going to talk about sex. It would annoy me (and I think it's disgusting).

"Good morning, Jamie," Jeb said as he walked up to me.

"Hey Jeb, great day for a raid, isn't it," I stated.

"Don't get your hopes up kid, you might not find anyone."

"I know we're going to find someone, I can just feel it." We were in the main part of the cave then. It was a nice sight with the mirrors, but I hate to look up. There was too much of a glare.

"Ready, sport," Kyle said once he saw me.

"Yeah, but I couldn't say the same for Jared and Melanie," I replied. I was kind of surprised to see the girl that was connected to his hip. It was Jodi, but she looked the same as before, which confused me even more. "Is that Jodi or Sunny?"

"Sunny, but she's looking for Jodi for me."

"I don't know when I'll be able to find her," Sunny whined.

"You will eventually," Kyle stated.

"You ready, Jamie," Jared called once he was in the main part too.

"I'm just waiting for you two." We started to walk towards the exit before we heard Doc yelling for us.

"Here," Doc said as he caught up to us, "Take this. It will knock the person out once you find what you are looking for. I think that you should look for a female. It would be a little weird to see Ian kissing a guy. I think that Wanda would go looking for a way to escape then."

"I know, Doc," Jared said like he was stating the obvious. We exited the cave soon. It wasn't that hard to find the cave exit, but it was hard to not lose your way. I'm glad that I have the place memorized.

"What exactly are we looking for," I questioned them when we were running towards the vehicles then. The sun was barely on the horizon, so it was safer for us.

"Obviously a girl," Jared said.

"Not to young and not too old," Melanie added.

"And someone that Ian would possibly like," Jared finished. "I wish that he had come to pick her out, but he might be _too_ picky."

"That's Ian for you," I stated. We reached the vehicles then. It was easy to get everything settled.

"Get in," commanded Jared. We did as we were told. He was soon driving to pick up car number two. This was probably the most dangerous part of the mission because who would be driving in the desert on no path.

We were soon at the place where we would get the next car. We hurried and got in. This wasn't going to be safer because we would have to get on the highway without being caught. That would probably be tough.

"Which city are we going to be looking in," I questioned once we got onto the highway.

"As many as it takes," Jared answered, "I don't want to be out longer than we need to, but I also don't want to come back empty handed. We were silent after that. We didn't need to talk, so we didn't. We were on the lookout, and we couldn't be distracted. We couldn't pass the perfect girl and not see her. That would ruin everything when we didn't even know it. We went to Tucson first. We drove around but we didn't see many people and no girls were out.

We turned the corner that went by an open field. I couldn't believe what I saw there. It was the perfect girl. She had long blond hair, and even though she wasn't turned our way, I knew that it had to be her.

"There," I yelled and pointed, making the others follow my stare.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Part of this is Stephenie Meyers. I wrote some of this too, but most of it is hers.**

We parked about a block away, and then we ran back to the park to make sure that she was still there.

"Good job, Jamie," Jared whispered as he slapped my back.

"Yeah, but what do we do now," I whispered back.

"I don't know."

"I do," Melanie said. Then she started walking.

"Melanie, no," Jared protested, but she was already out of his reach when he realized what she was doing.

"Excuse me," we heard Melanie say. The girl turned around to look at her. She's really beautiful. Ian is going to love her.

"Hi," the girl said.

"Hell. My name is Melanie," she said with a smile, "I'm new in town and… I think I'm lost."

"Oh! Where are you trying to go? I'll take you. Our car is just back—."

"No, it's not far. I was going for a walk, but now I can't find my way back to Becker's street." It was one of the streets that we passed. I was surprised that she remembered that street.

"You're very close," the girl stated. "It's just around the second corner up that way, but you can cut right through this little alley here. It takes you straight there."

"Could you show me? I'm sorry, what's your name?"

"Of course! Come with me. I'm Petals Open to the Moon, but my family mostly calls me pet. Where are you from, Melanie?" We followed where they walked while making sure that Pet doesn't see us.

Mel laughed, "Do you mean San Diego or the Singing World, Pet?"

"Either one." Pet laughed then. "There are two Bats on this street. They live in that yellow house with the pine tree." They had just reached their destination.

"I'll have to say hello," Melanie murmured. We took it as a sign to come out of our hiding place. "These are my friends, Pet."

"Oh! Oh, hello." Pet stretched her hand out to Jared because he was closer. He yanked her forward to make her take the spray that Doc had given her before we left.

"Wha—," she tries to ask, but she passes out before she can. We carefully moved her to the van being cautious all the way there. We don't want to be around her any more than we need to. She was put in the back with me.

"WE DID IT," I yelled when we headed out of the city. Wanda finally had a body, and hopefully she'll be able to use it for a lifetime.

"We won't know until we are back home, so you better not get your hopes up," Jared said, but I had a feeling that I won't be wrong.

We were back quickly to where we would leave the van, and we hopped out to get into the jeep. Jared grabbed Pet. Soon we were off to go home, and it was nice. I couldn't wait to get Wanda into a new body. It must be hell for her in the cyrotank.

"Is she alright," Melanie asked.

"I hope so," I said.

"She hasn't woken up yet, so I think that she is."

"Let's go home then," Melanie said while jumping into the front seat of the vehicle. We drove silently, and I kept an eye on Pet. I didn't want anything to happen to Wanda's body. I hoped that everyone will like her. I sure do, and I think that Jared and Melanie do also.

"Let's go," Jared stated as he opened the door up to the jeep. I hadn't realized that we were almost home. _Home_. Everyone would be excepting us to bring a body home, and we did just that. Once we were close to the main area, I ran up ahead. I wanted to get Ian as quick as possible.

"Ian," I yelled as I saw him walking towards the dining hall. When he saw us, he turned back around to walk towards us.

"What happened," Ian asked, but then he saw what I was yelling about. It was the girl. "You found one."

"Jared, take her to Doc pronto," Jeb commanded. We all headed down the southern hallway.


	9. Chapter 9

I was on my way to the dining hall when I heard Jamie yelling my name. Are they back now? Did they find someone? Did they miss their chance and have to go home?

"What happened," I called before I saw her. She looked beautiful. I couldn't believe my eyes. They've found the perfect girl for Wanda. "You found one." It was all I could think of to say.

"Jared, take her to Doc pronto," Jeb commanded. I quickly walked with them. I didn't want to miss anything.

"Jamie," I said, "Go and tell Doc to get ready for surgery." He split off running then. I hoped that Doc would be ready by the time we got there.

Thankfully he was. "Over here," Doc commanded as we came into his view. He worked quickly to get the other alien out of her, and I was thankful that Wanda will soon take her place.

"Do you want me to open the cyrotank," I asked Doc when the other was in another cyrotank.

"No," Doc replied simply.

"What," I yelled, "This is the _body _for Wanda. We need to put her in now."

"Ian, think," Doc said, "What if this body wakes up, and Wanda is in it. She'd just try to make this deal again, and next time, she might succeed. She's going to say that I broke our promise, and she's going to tell the truth. She could find someone else who would do that."

"She wouldn't do that twice," I countered, "She has to stay no matter what. She's mine."

"She might be, but she wants others to be happy before she is," Melanie stated. She was telling the truth. It wasn't the first time that's happened.

"Let's heal her up, and then we'll see if she wakes up in the same amount of time that Jodi didn't, then we'll try again," Doc recommended. He started to heal her up.

I tried to stop him, but Jared held me back. He whispered, "Don't Ian. It will solve nothing."

"She needs a body, Jared," I stated, "She can't do anything if she doesn't have one."

"She can wait. It seems that you can't."

"Melanie," I turned my attention to someone that might help, "Please, help me. He can't see my point of view."

"He can," Melanie replied, "He also can see Doc's point of view; you can't." She was right, but I didn't want her to be right. I wanted to make sure that she would be safe, and I wanted her safe now.

"Ian, we can either be nice or mean," Jeb informed me, "Either way, we are going to listen to Doc. It's your choice." After a couple of minutes, I nodded curtly. I didn't want to have Wanda taken away from me. I knew that it would hurt me if I didn't.

"Let's put her over her," Doc suggested. Jared moved her over to the cot on the left. I started to head over to the other cot closer to the girl, but Jared stopped me.

"What are you doing," he questioned.

"I was going to lie over on that cot," I stated. I wasn't going to do anything else.

"I think that you shouldn't do that," Jared said.

"Why not," Jamie questioned for me.

"He doesn't need to be in here. I think that he probably is hungry and he'd like some time to go and eat with us. He was heading that why anyway when we came back into the cave." I was just about to protest when my stomach growled. I hated when it did that. It was annoying because your body wanted one thing but you're mind wanted another.

"Fine, I'll do whatever," I grumbled. We went to go to eat. I wasn't very hungry though. I didn't want to eat really until I got my Wanda back.

"Eat," Jared commanded when I didn't touch my food.

"Wanda will not like it enough if you starve yourself," Melanie stated. I started eating then. It was probably obvious what my weak spot is, and I truly didn't care.

"Do you think that she'll like the girl," Jamie questioned.

"I think that she will, but I'm not completely convinced," Jared stated.

"I think that she'll love it," Melanie said.

"I hope she does," Jamie stated, "Because I was the one that picked her out.

"I'm going to go to sleep," I said after a couple minutes of silence.

"We'll see you later," Melanie stated. I nodded. I just headed straight to bed. I placed Wanda's cyrotank next to me and succumbed myself to unconsciousness. I was happy that I could be able to just sleep right now. I've had a hard day. I miss seeing Wanda's smiles and her blushes and love. I can't wait to be able to see everything I missed. I was happy to be around her, but I missed talking to her. I could talk to _her_, but I wouldn't get a reply back.

I was soon totally asleep, and I was dreaming of Wanda again. It was a nice dream, but it ended _too_ soon. I was hoping to be able to sleep longer. I wanted to be able to dream about my favorite person. I wanted to be able to spend time with Wanda.

"Ian, wake up," Jamie commanded. Why would he command me to do anything? "You've been asleep for two days! It's time for Wanda's transition."

"Well, why didn't you say so," I questioned shooting up from the bed. I took Wanda's cyrotank and ran to the hospital ward with Jamie following behind.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: Part of this is Stephenie Meyer's work. I am doing this from my view on Ian's point of view.**

"She's moving," Jamie said as we saw her moving. She did move, which was a good thing. It means that she's going to wake up soon, but what I didn't get was why she hadn't woken up yet.

"Wanda? Can you hear me, Wanda," Jared questioned her. I was nervous, and I needed to see that she would wake up.

Jamie whispered in her ear, "Wanda. Come back. We aren't letting you go."

"Use the Awake," Kyle suggested. We watched as she breathed deeply. Her hands started to move from where mine were.

"Wanderer? We're all waiting for you, honey. Open your eyes," I commanded her. She her breath stopped, and her fingers started to tremble. I couldn't help but to smile a little bit.

"She's waking up," Jamie crowed excitedly. She soon opened her eyes, but she took a minute before she looked around.

"Wanderer," I asked. She turned her head to look at me then. My heart filled with joy when she looked at me.

"Ian? Ian, where am I," she questioned me. She seemed a little scared also. "_Who_ am I?"

"You're you," I answered her, "And you're right where you belong." She touched her face with her hand and froze. She didn't know that it was her yet. She seemed scared of it for some reason. I almost told her that it was her hand, but decided to keep quiet.

"Where is she," Wanda asked, "Where is Pet." She seemed scared for Pet. I wanted to comfort her, but Doc beat me to the chase.

"She's right here," Doc assured her, "Tanked and ready to go. We thought you could tell up the best place to send her."

Wanda looked over to him then. She looked quickly at the tank, but then she seemed truly mad. "Doc! Doc, you promised! You gave me your oath, _Eustace_! Why? Why did you break your word?" She seemed truly hurt then, and it pained me so much to see her hurt.

"Even an honest man sometimes cave to duress, Wanda." He was lying a little bit, but he did hand her over freely, so I let it pass.

"What," Wanda questioned.

"Shh, it's all okay," Ian murmured while I blew some of her golden hair into her face. "Did you really think you could leave us that way? Wanda!" I sighed.

"I told you I didn't want to be a parasite," Wanda whispered to me.

"Let me through," I heard Melanie order. She walked right up to the bed and said, "Listen up, Wanda. I know exactly what you don't want to be. But we're human, and we're selfish, and _we_ don't always do the right thing. We aren't going to let you go. Deal with it." She was right, and everyone agreed totally with her.

"Mel," questioned Wanda, "Mel, you're okay!" Melanie leaned over to hug her shoulders.

"Of course I am," replied Melanie, "Wasn't that the point of all the drama? And you're going to be fine, too. WE weren't stupid about it. We didn't just grab the first body we saw." That was a complete lie, but I didn't want to tell her that.

"Let me tell her, let me," Jamie stated as he shoved in beside Melanie. Jamie took her other hand and squeezed it.

"Jamie," Wanda rejoiced.

"Hey, Wanda! This is cool, isn't it? You're smaller than me now!" Jamie had a triumphant grin for emphasis.

"But I'm still older. I'm almost—my birthday is in two weeks," Wanda stated. Was it the body's birthday or her own birthday? I couldn't tell. "I'll be eighteen." I stiffen in surprise. Was this body really that old? It was young, but I thought that it would be a little younger still.

"They let me go on the raid to get you," Jamie informed her.

"I know," Wanda muttered, "I remember…Well, Pet remembers seeing you there." She then glared at Melanie who just shrugged.

"We tried not to scare her," Jamie started, "She's so… kind of fragile-looking, you know? And nice, too. We picker her out together, but I got to decide. See, Mel said we had to get someone young—someone who had a bigger percentage of life as a soul or something. But not too young, because she knew you wouldn't want to be a child. And then Jared liked this face, because he said no one could ever dis…_distrust_ it. You don't' look dangerous at all. You look the opposite of dangerous. Jared said anyone who sees you would just naturally want to protect you, right, Jared? But then I go the final say, because I was looking for someone who looked like _you_. And I thought this looked like you. Because she sort of looks like an angel, and you're good like that. And real pretty. I knew you would be pretty." Jamie smiled then. "Ian didn't come. He just sat here with you—he said he didn't care what you looked like. He wouldn't let anyone else put a finger on your tank at all. But Doc let me watch this time. It was way cool, Wanda. I don't know why you wouldn't' let me watch before. They wouldn't let me help, though. Ian wouldn't let anyone touch you but him."

I squeezed her hand gently and leaned in to whisper, "I held you in my hand, Wanderer. And you were so beautiful." She looked like she was going to cry.

"You like it, don't you," Jamie questioned. He seemed kind of worried. "You're not mad? There's nobody in there with you, is there?" That was our main concern. It would mean that we would have to start all over, and I didn't want to do that. She looked so beautiful in this body.

"I'm not mad, exactly," she whispered. "And I—I can't find anybody else. Just Pet's memories. Pet's been here since… I can't remember when she wasn't here. I can't remember any other name."

"You're not a parasite," Melanie stated firmly, then she touched her hair. "This body didn't belong to Pet, but there's nobody else to claim it. We waited to make sure, Wanda. We tried to wake her up almost as long as we tried with Jodi."

"Jodi? What happened to Jodi," she questioned us.

"Jodi didn't respond. We kept trying as long as we could."

Doc explained, "We were able to keep her hydrated, but we had no way to feed her. We were worried about atrophy—her muscles, her brain…"

"Sunny," Wanda yelled when she spotted her connected to Kyle.

"I got to stay," Sunny said, "Just like you." She glanced up at Kyle and her voice turned sad, "I'm trying, though. I am looking for her. I will keep looking."

Kyle had us put Sunny back when it looked like we would lose Jodi," Doc continued quietly. Wanda soon turned her attention to me. It made my heart soar when she did.

"You okay in there," I asked.

"I…I don't know," she admitted. "This feels very…weird. Every bit as weird as switching species. So much weirder than I would have thought. I…I don't know."

"You don't mind staying here _too_ much, do you, Wanda? Do you think that maybe you could tolerate it," I murmured once I heard her reply. I didn't want her to leave me, but I didn't want her to be unhappy either. People started touching Wanda to show that they wanted her to stay silently.

She looked around once more. "I suppose I could do that," she whispered, "If it makes you happy."

"That's not good enough, actually," I disagreed, "It has to make _you _happy, too." She looked at me for a second before looking away and blushing.

"I…think it might," she agreed, "I think it might make me very, very happy."

I made her look at me even though she wouldn't look into my eyes. When she finally did, she blushed some more. "Then you will stay." I couldn't hold myself back anymore. I kissed her, and I felt so incredible when I did.

"I will stay," she agreed when we pulled apart, and I soared.


End file.
